Arjen Lucassen’s Sonic Revolution have a fantastic new album out titled Golden Age Of Music is now out. The album pays homage to and celebrates the great ’70s rock era with plenty of references to bands and albums from the period. The album’s cover is colorful and eye catching, with references to a number of classic albums as well. Awesome packaging, designed by Arjen, himself. So here’s a new installment of The Story Behind The Album Cover where Arjen discusses the new album’s artwork, as well as picks his own favorite classic covers.
You are credited with design, logo, and layout for the Supersonic Revolution cover/package. So, I presume you had a vision and oversaw the whole design and cover being put together!?
Oh yes, always. I’m a total control freak! There are obviously some images included/influenced from some other classic album covers (the moons, the pyramid, the rainbow, etc…)..
Without giving it ALL away – how many are there and what inspired that idea and how it connects to the album’s theme/concept?
I explain it all in the unboxing video here:
Hope that helps!
Can you tell me how important to you has your album covers/artwork been to you and how you see it as part of the whole record buying package?
Incredibly important! As a kid I bought so many albums just because of the artwork. Or the opposite… I didn’t buy them when the artwork didn’t pull me in. I bought all the Hipgnosis and Roger Dean stuff, unheard.
Can you give me some insight to those that helped create the artwork via drawings, photos, layout?
I basically come up with all the basic ideas. I draw them all out on a piece of paper, very basic and sketchy. And then they perfect it. But it’s a long process, I’m such a perfectionist! I’ve driven many art workers crazy. Really.
Can you give me a list of Your favorite album covers (5-10 perhaps), growing up, that had an influence/impact on you later on (Not the music, but just those favorite covers that really impressed)?
Sure! Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy, Yes – Tales of Topographic Oceans, Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies, T Rex – Electric Warrior, Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick, Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon, UFO – Phenomenon, Nice – Elegy, Uriah Heep – Magician’s Birthday, Pink Floyd – Animals, Led Zeppelin – Presence. Not sure if that was 10, haha!
Do you keep (and still collect) a big record collection?
No. I was really stupid. I had thousands of vinyl albums and I gave them all away. I hated the scratches on vinyl so much! I kept a lot of the sleeves though, and they are hanging all through my house, (see attachment).
Links:
Outsider Rock 